Our View: More specifics needed in Rauner's plan

Bruce Rauner’s campaign strategy up until this point boils down to “I’m not Pat Quinn. Vote for me.”

It appears to be resonating with many disgruntled voters. A new poll from We Ask America and Reboot Illinois shows Rauner, the Republican challenger with a 10-point lead over the Democratic incumbent. However, 16 percent of those surveyed said they were undecided.

We doubt most of that 16 percent were impressed with Rauner’s “Bring Back Blueprint” for government reform that his campaign released Thursday.

(Quinn’s campaign is quick. A news release bashing Rauner’s blueprint appeared in our inbox about 20 minutes before we saw what was being bashed.)

Rauner’s 11-page document told us a lot of what he wouldn’t have done as governor and not enough of what he would do. It’s not the budget plan we and other editorial boards have called for.

The plan looks more like an entry into a media association contest, referencing newspaper stories and television reports about some of Illinois’ problems.

Rauner maintains that his plan would save the state $1 billion, but his math doesn’t add up. For example, he says $500 million could be saved by reforming Central Management Services, but he doesn’t say where the money would come from. He wants to eliminate the state air force, which may be a good thing, but how much would that really save when you consider that mileage reimbursement would have to increase to make up for the loss?

It’s time to show us the money. For instance, how does Rauner plan to cut taxes and still deliver the services that Illinois residents demand? How does he plan to restore trust in government, curtail corruption, improve schools and get the state’s roads in shape?

The lack of specifics has not hurt Rauner yet, but he’s missing an opportunity — a “golden” opportunity as one former governor would put it — to truly distinguish himself from Quinn’s policies.

Illinois residents appear to be primed for change. Recent polls have not been good for the status quo.

Half of Illinoisans say they’d move to another state if they could, according to a Gallup poll. Illinoisans wanted to move more than any other state’s residents. Residents of Connecticut and Maryland were a few percentage points behind.

In another Gallup poll, Illinois residents said that this was the worst state to live in.

A poll in 2012 said Quinn was the nation’s least popular governor with only 25 percent of those questioned approving of his job performance. He rebounded in 2013 with 34 percent of voters approving of the job he’s done. Only Gov. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, an independent, is more unpopular than Quinn.

Page 2 of 2 - We know where Quinn stands on the issues. He wants to retain the 5 percent individual income tax so that schools and other areas of government receive adequate financing.

Quinn presented his budget — a five-year fiscal plan — in March. His campaign has challenged Rauner to come up with an alternative.

“The truth is, those who are telling you that Illinois can tax less and spend less and still expect to fund education are simply not telling you the truth,” Quinn said in March.

“We can balance the budget without more tax increases, if we create a growth economy, and restructure and reform our broken government,” Rauner said in a statement at the time.

We’d all love to pay less in taxes. We’d love to see a booming economy and we’d love to have faith in our government. How do we get there?

The broad concepts Rauner has outlined look good on paper, but we’d like to see the math that shows how what he believes in will work. And, will it work in Illinois, where he would doubtless have to deal with a Democratic-heavy General Assembly?

Rauner can do better than what he released Thursday. We’ll be waiting.